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Ministers to discuss single-market plans

National industry ministers are to hold their first discussions on three of the European Commission’s proposed new laws from its action plan aimed at re-energising the single market.

The ministers, who meet in Brussels next week (20-21 February), will debate proposals to modernise the European Union’s public procurement legislation, how to simplify its directives on accounting, and rules to help small and medium-sized enterprise get access to finance through venture capital funds.

The action plan, known as the Single Market Act, was published in May 2010 and is made up of 12 steps that the Commission says are necessary to complete the single market. The three legislative proposals to be discussed at next week’s competitiveness council were published in the last two months of 2011.

The proposed legislation is also being scrutinised by MEPs. The European Parliament and member states will have to come to an agreement on each proposal before they can be adopted.

Patent pending

Little progress on the unified EU patent is expected at the meeting, although it is likely that ministers will raise the issue in the margins of the talks. The patent plan is deadlocked because of a disagreement over the location of the patent court. The UK wants it to be in London, while Germany wishes to host it in Munich. Both countries refuse to accept Paris as a compromise.

On Monday, industry ministers will discuss the Commission’s Annual Growth Survey, part of the European Semester – the cycle of economic policy co-ordination between member states – which will contribute to the conclusions to be finalised by leaders of EU member states at the European Council on 1-2 March. Discussion on the issue will continue on Tuesday (21 February) when innovation ministers meet.